Expo Line Phase 2 past halfway mark

Phase two of Los Angeles' Expo Light Rail Line, under construction between Culver City, Calif., and Santa Monica, is now more than 50% completed, according to the Exposition Metro Line Construction Authority.

Among other benchmarks, construction of the maintenance facility in Santa Monica is well under way and will be completed next fall. Work along the 8-mile right-of-way, including trackword and the placement of bridges, also is ongoing.

Skanska-Rados Joint Venture was awarded the contract for Phase 2 in 2012, with work scheduled to be completed in 2015 and revenue service commending in 2016. Work has proceeded despite efforts to halt the project from anti-rail citizens groups.

SRJV Project Manager Brian Freund, in a statement, also notes the project has proceeded without injury to any worker.

Phase 1 of the Expo Line was placed in service in early 2012, running from Culver City to 7th Street Metro Center in Los Angeles, sharing right-of-way with the Blue Line LRT for part of its route.